Sam Murphy, captain of the Arizona State women’s club hockey team, thanks tournment participants and sponsors at a recent fundraising event at McCormick Ranch Golf Club. (Photo courtesy of Sierra Watson)
Members of the ASU women’s club hockey team pose for a group photo Sunday at McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale. (Photo courtesy of Sierra Watson)
TEMPE – Hockey continues to thrive at Arizona State, with a prominent Division I men’s program, as well as three divisions of club teams. Although, the university features only one women’s hockey program at ASU, it treats itself as anything but a club.
Sustaining as a club is rarely easy.
Every club team at ASU receives some funding from the university, but for women’s hockey that amounts to approximately 3% of the team’s total costs. This includes ice time, player gear, travel and other expenses. The team also implements a player fee of $5,500 per season.
Coach Lindsey Ellis and her team must think creatively to continue building the program. In 2023, Ellis organized the first annual Charity Golf Classic at McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, and it continues to prove successful.
On Sunday, the third edition of the tournament was held, and the team collectively raised approximately $20,000, Ellis said, and featured prizes such as golf clubs, Arizona Cardinals tickets and even a 75-inch TV.
“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” said graduate forward and team captain Sam Murphy. “All of the money we get here goes towards plane tickets, buses, meals on the road, all of the essential stuff to treat us like college athletes.”
After winning two Western Women’s Collegiate Hockey League championships and making three straight American College Hockey Association National Tournaments, the team took a bold leap, leaving their conference and becoming an independent. It was a move that would allow it to play more top-ranked opponents throughout the season.
The WWCHL features teams such as Grand Canyon, Utah and Denver. With ASU becoming independent, the goal was clear: become a consistent national contender. With those high aspirations year over year, it means more traveling to the eastern part of the country to play higher-ranked opponents. That’s where fundraisers such as this play a vital role. This year alone, the team will play games in six different states.
“The better our team gets, the more we get in the community and get some eyes on us,” Ellis said. “It’s really important to build a strong relationship with the community, and I think we’ve done that over the past couple of years.”
Although the golf tournament was for the team, many of the players didn’t compete. Instead, they were present around the course, assisting with prize giveaways and tournament operations. Murphy recognizes that while golfing can be fun, showing your face and saying thank you goes a long way.
“It’s crucial that we shake everyone’s hand, introduce ourselves and sincerely say thank you and spend time with the people who are donating to our team,” she said.
In any club sport, whether at the college or youth level, parents play a pivotal role in funding the season’s operations. For many parents, it’s a chance to show their appreciation for allowing their daughter to continue playing hockey.
For Trevor Streek, this is his second year playing in the golf tournament. His daughter Kate is a sophomore defenseman and one of 11 players from Canada on the team. ASU has gradually become a club hockey destination, consistently attracting talent from across North America.
“I think it’s important for the university to recognize that we have a national caliber women’s program here,” Steek said. “The way this program is run is very professional. This is a Division I program long term.”
After the final putt went down and the tournament came to a close, it offered a sigh of relief for Ellis, who had been putting this together for months.
“It gets bigger and better every year,” she said. “I don’t think people realize that coaching is one of the smaller roles I do and that there’s so much going on behind the scenes, but I’m very thankful today went well and this goes better every year.”
Now the focus shifts for Ellis to get her team ready for its season opener October 12th against the University of Arizona. It will be the 10th season with Ellis at the helm, and she is looking not just to make another National Tournament but to be a serious contender.
